As Marlena and John talked in her office, John had second thoughts about leaving her alone. Marlena assured him that the patient she was seeing was no threat to her, but worried about Roman being with Kate since she was a suspect in the murder cases. She picked up the phone to call Roman, but John stopped her and said that she had to admit that she was jealous of Roman and Kate. Marlena denied that she was jealous and said that he had been listening to Sami too much. John thought that she was still jealous that now Kate and Roman shared a bond as parents of the twins. Marlena reminded him that they also shared a bond as parents of Belle.
Shawn turned when he heard a noise come from the equipment room. He opened the door and was astonished to see Belle! Behind her, Jan ducked and hid from view as Belle said, "Surprise! I'm back!"
Roman came into the room with Kate donning an apron. Kate thanked him for getting her out of jail by giving him a kiss. Roman joked about his situation, but Kate was seriously worried about Roman being named as the next victim. Roman begged her to put everything aside and have a nice night together. He pulled out plastic mistletoe and wanted to try it out, but Kate was too angry about Sami trying to break up their relationship. Kate thinks Sami will keep trying, but Roman said he'd never let that happen and is appalled that Sami could find any good out of Cassie, her half-sister's, death. Kate hopes that Sami will get what she deserves someday.
Sami answered a knock at her door to find the masked killer! She screamed and the murderer covered her mouth and held up a knife. Sami struggled and got away. She barred a door shut and ran for the phone, but the killer emerged and stopped her phone call. She struggled again and managed to get out the front door with the killer hot on her heels.
At Kate's hotel room, Roman cautiously approached Sami's attacker believing he had found the Serial Killer. With gun in hand, Roman unmasked Lucas as he dropped a knife. A shocked Sami and Kate watched as Roman read Lucas his rights. Interrupting the reference to right to counsel, Roman said, "Good luck with that...only the lowest scum on earth would take your case."
While Kate begged Roman to give Lucas a chance, Roman assured her that her son's actions would clear her as a suspect. Meanwhile, a disbelieving Sami told Lucas that she thought Kate had assisted Lucas by killing Cassie. Telling Roman he wanted to make a confession, Lucas said he was "guilty as sin"... for protecting the women he loved. Sami challenged the remark but Lucas said he was only referring to his Kate. Explaining his attack on Sami was just to scare her, Lucas recounted that he followed Sami from Kate's office after seeing her take a paper. As Roman read the incriminating page, Sami lied to her father claiming she found it in Kate's office. Realizing the truth, Roman released Lucas. Humoring Sami as she desperately accused Kate and Lucas, Roman said her accusations meant John posed no threat to Marlena. When Sami then accused John, Roman told her she was willing to twist the crime spree to her own selfish advantage.
Discussing the events with Kate, Roman reminded her that she, Lucas and Sami were still suspects. But Roman noted that Lucas' stupidity imitating the killer nearly proved he wasn't smart enough to be the killer. Kate's concern was over Sami's actions. Would her capability to frame someone for murder also make her capable of committing murder?
At Marlena's office, Jan had to sneak past Shawn in the waiting room to keep her appointment. While Marlena encouraged her to tell Shawn she was back in Salem, Jan said she wasn't ready yet. Against her better judgment Marlena agreed to Jan's pleas. Marlena let Shawn in as Jan secretly listened to their conversation about Belle's return. Leaving together, Jan was left alone in the office looking to raid Marlena's files for anything she could use in the future. Jan fantasized about Shawn leaving Belle for her. Holding a letter opener in a stabbing motion towards a picture of Belle, Jan forced herself to regain control. Putting it down, she said, "Revenge is a dish, better served cold," promising to take Shawn away.
At the Black's apartment, Belle surprised her father, and refused his request to return to Paris. John's concern was that Sami's vengeance to eliminate him and Kate would drive her to do anything to get what she wants. Arriving with Marlena, Shawn told Belle his protection would include their going to bed together that night. And as Marlena hugged John she got a sudden feeling that someone had walked over her grave.
Bo was working at Brady's Pub, studying Rex's file. Tex arrived to discuss the case. He said that Salem's criminal underground wagered that Bo would be next. They were interrupted by Jennifer, who was meeting Abby at the pub. Together, they dragged Bo off to Alice's. Unknown to them, they were followed by a shadowy figure.
Jan secretly followed Belle and Shaun to Belle's apartment, where they planned to spend the night together. When Belle checked her answering machine, they heard Hope's invitation to Alice's for a tree-trimming party. They decided to go -- but not before picking up a tree for Belle's apartment. Jan, still outside Belle's apartment, surreptitiously followed them to the Christmas tree lot.
Bonnie, dressed as a sleazy Mrs. Claus, was operating an illegal Christmas tree lot. She had stolen trees from the government nature preserve, and was selling them, ostensibly for charity. Rex arrived at the lot asking for her help. This provoked Bonnie to have a sexual fantasy about her daughter's boyfriend, but Rex only wanted help finding a tree to surprise Mimi. When Bonnie spotted Jan Spears, she began to walk over to her to confront her, wanting to know what "that little bitch" was doing back in Salem. Jan got away before Bonnie could get to her, however, as Bonnie was interrupted by Belle and Shaun's arrival, then by Mimi's. It was the first time Mimi had seen Belle since she'd left for Paris, and the two caught up excitedly. Shaun invited Mimi to Alice's party, but Mimi was waiting for Rex. She told Belle she wanted to hear all about Pierre and Claude later.
On the way to Alice Horton's, Shaun jealously demanded who Pierre and Claude were. Belle teased him, telling him that she had been lonely in France, and so had started seeing both of them. When Shaun gets upset, Belle got angry that he didn't trust her. They got angry with each other, and Belle brought up Shaun's past with Jan. After a moment, they decided that a Christmas party was not the time to argue, and Belle showed Shaun a picture of her father's elderly friend Pierre, and his dog, Claude. Jan watched all of this from behind a tree. When she walked away, another eavesdropper took her place.
Mimi arrived to find that Rex had put up and decorated the Christmas tree, and strewn rose petals over the bed. Except for a Santa hat, he was topless when he greeted her. They went to bed.
Mickey, home alone, turned on the radio to listen to some Christmas carols. It was Maggie's voice that filled the room. Lonely and sad, he decided to get out of the house. He left for Bonnie's lot, to purchase a tree for the children's wing of the hospital. Bonnie flirted with Mickey, who believed her to be a generous and admirable person, selling trees for charity, as he thought. She brought him eggnog, liberally spiced with "love and kindness." Mickey took Bonnie's word for it that the eggnog was non-alcoholic. Since he hadn't had a drink in years, in order to support Maggie in her sobriety, he was quickly affected by the beverage. Bonnie went to help Phyllis, a nurse from University Hospital, pick out a tree. Phyllis recognized Mickey Horton immediately. Bonnie lied to her that Mickey had asked her about Viagra, leading Phyllis to believe that she and Mickey were an item. His drink finished, Mickey got up to go. Bonnie promised to deliver his tree to the hospital, and he left for the Horton's party. Bonnie had another sexual fantasy -- about Mickey this time -- and toasted herself as the next Mrs. Mickey Horton.
At the Horton residence, Alice helped Zack, Theo, and Abby make a gingerbread house. Lexi and Jen joked over Hope's first attempt at baking Christmas cookies. Celeste, as usual, was talking to herself making dire predictions as she warmed her hands by the fire. Bo found a ticking package at the front door. The Hortons evacuated the house, joined by an inebriated Mickey. Bo soaked the bomb in the kitchen sink. Hope found the note, left by the neighbors who'd signed for the package. It was a Swiss clock from Doug and Julie -- now ruined.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Brady played the CD he had burned for Chloe last Christmas. As Brady and Chloe's own rendition of Silent Night filled the air, Nicole slinked into the room wearing only a black negligee. She poured herself vodka, and then pretended to break the strap to her teddy. Brady saw right through her, and told her that she should have more pride than to attempt to seduce a man who is in love with another woman. "Love the one you're with," Nicole told him, then dropped her top, much to Brady's discomfort. He tried to give her his jacket, but Nicole insisted that he pin her straps up. She reminded him that she is right down the hall, if he gets tired of waiting for Chloe. Victor chose just that moment to interrupt. He gave Brady some contracts to look over, and ordered Nicole to leave his grandson alone. "Sooner or later, I will get Brady so hot, he won't be able to resist," Nicole promised Victor. He responded by phoning Chloe to arrange for her Christmas visit on his private jet.
In the next room, Brady realized that Nicole was right -- it would be years before the opera house was built -- years before he and Chloe could be together. He determined to be faithful, but his mind was plagued with images of Nicole.
Jan, still plotting to break up Shaun and Belle, followed the couple home from Alice's party. Inside Belle's apartment, they got into the holiday spirit by putting on Christmas music and pretending to be under the mistletoe. Belle had brought Shaun home a gift from Paris -- silk pajamas which she had designed herself. Shaun had a gift for Belle, too -- a star-shaped snowman for the top of the tree, a tiny replica of the snowman they had built together when Shaun first told Belle that he loved her.
Outside the loft, one of Bonnie's employees had just arrived with a tree for Belle. Jan took the tree -- and the opportunity to get into Belle's apartment. Dressed in a hooded coat and a fake beard, she knocked at Belle's door. Not recognizing her, Shaun offered her an extra twenty dollars to set up the tree with lights. As she set up the tree, Jan daydreamed about sitting next to the tree in Belle's loft, wearing only a teddy. A bare-chested Shaun offered her a ring, just as Belle burst into the fantasy. "Damn you, Jan. First you steal my loft, then you steal my boyfriend." Shaun chooses Jan, preferring her long brunette hair to Belle's blonde head, which he calls gross. When she was finished fantasizing, Shaun paid Jan for putting up the tree, and she left -- but not before stealing Belle's key from the kitchen counter. Alone again, Belle and Shaun began to make out. Inspired by the romance of the Christmas season, Belle asked if perhaps it's time to take off the chastity rings. But Shaun feared that if they made love now, they would look back in the future and wonder if their first time had been because it was right for them, or just because the serial killer situation was drawing them together. They decided to go to bed -- just to sleep in each other's arms. But first, Belle climbed a ladder to the top of the tree to put up Shaun's snowman star. Just as they went upstairs to bed, Jan stealthily entered the apartment, and hid behind the tree. When Shaun came downstairs, Jan came out from her hiding place, and they kissed -- in another fantasy. In reality, Jan just reached out her arm to touch Shaun.
Sami and Roman ran into each other outside of Brady's Pub. Sami wanted her father to take Bo's offer of police surveillance, but Roman explained that he needed the killer to have a clear path to him, in order to be used as bait. A masked stranger was lurking in the bushes listening to their conversation, which turned to Kate. An advertisement for a diamond ring caught Roman's eye, and Sami discouraged him from buying it. Roman insisted that it was none of his daughter's business, and he went into the pub to meet Kate, who was there with Lucas. Sami, following her father into the pub, had a nice moment with Grandfather Shaun, where they remembered Caroline. Kate wanted to stay at the pub with Roman, but he needed to get to work on the case, and convinced her that she would be safer at home. The masked stranger was still hiding in the bushes, brandishing a knife.
Lucas and Sami decided to have dinner together. When the subject of Christmas came up, they realized that they'd both gotten Will the same gift -- a DVD player. They argued over which of them would return it. Will showed up just in time to see Sami shove Lucas. He didn't like it at all, and explained that his guidance counselor thinks he needs more family stability. After all, his great-grandmother and great-aunt were just murdered, and his Uncle Roman was the next target, "And the killer is someone in my own family. So what's for dinner?" Will asked, just as Grandpa Shaun wandered along. Shaun sent Will upstairs to wash up for dinner, then gives Lucas and Sami a lecture about getting along, for the boy's sake. This must have hit home for Sami, because she offered to take back her DVD player and find another gift. Lucas, similarly affected by Shaun's words, offered to take back his as well. Sami examined his receipt, and realized that the same salesman at the same store charged her more money for the same machine. Discrimination, she decided, and took off to give the salesman a piece of her mind. When Will came downstairs and joined his father for dinner, Lucas told him that his mother had just left. Will worried about his mother, alone at night with a serial killer on the loose, but Lucas insisted that Sami was tough enough to take care of himself.
Outside, a masked stranger grabbed Sami, who believed that it was just Lucas pulling a prank. "Oh my Lucas, look at what a big knife you have? Can you do anything with it? I bet you can't even draw blood, you loser." In response, the stranger raised his knife to her, angering Sami. She began to fight him. They struggled with each other, falling to the ground.
Roman arrived at Bonnie's Christmas tree lot, knowing that he was being stalked by a figure in black. He surprised the figure by tackling it to the ground. It was Kate, who had followed him out of fear for his safety. Officer Murphy popped out of nowhere, and admitted that Bo had assigned him to Roman's security detail. Roman called off the security, and decided to take Kate home, after eliciting a promise that she will stay there when he goes back out to work. Suddenly, he heard a sound in the bush. It was another hooded figure, carrying a knife. Roman pointed his gun at the figure, and walked into the trees to get him. Murphy yelled out "Got you covered," and Roman was distracted for a moment. It was long enough for the masked figure to take a swipe at his arm with the knife, then run off while Roman was down. Roman sent Murphy to escort Kate home, then went off in pursuit of the killer.
At Salem Place, Bonnie had a bad feeling as the lights around her Christmas tree concession kept flickering. Thinking it was a generator problem, she later found evidence it had been tampered with. When Lucas stopped to buy a tree, Will caught on to Bonnie's flirtations before his Dad did. Will also seemed to understand his mother's insecurities, telling Lucas that he was the only man for Sami.
Sami was annoyed with the masked figure she thought was Lucas, particularly when she was cut by their knife. Interrupting to take a phone call, she heard Lucas on the other end of the line. Realizing she was facing the Killer, Sami dropped the phone as the Killer approached with a knife. Roman heard her screams as she tried to fend off her attacker. Roman's arrival chased the Killer temporarily.
At the loft, sirens could be heard responding to Roman's call. Checking the news on a Police Scanner, Rex and Shawn went to investigate leaving Mimi and Belle together at the loft. Mimi left shortly after worried about Bonnie. Thinking she was safely locked in her apartment, Belle was unaware of Jan's presence.
Unaware of being stalked by the Killer, Roman found Rex hiding behind some boxes. But Shawn came out shortly after attesting to being with Rex the whole time.
At Brady's Pub, Sami sent Will to stay with Grandpa Shawn for the night. Lucas re-assured a shaken Sami that he would protect her from harm. At her apartment, Sami was pleasantly surprised by Lucas's kindness in preparing her bed and warm milk. But Sami still had nightmares of seeing Roman and Lucas dead, and the Killer at her door. In fear, she went to stay at Lucas's apartment. Refusing to sleep on the floor, Sami found herself temptingly close to an encounter with Lucas as she snuggled into his bed.
And at the loft Belle found an unidentified piece of jewelry, belonging to Jan, lying on the floor, as Jan was now holding a hammer. Mimi arrived at the Christmas tree lot, offering to call Rex to fix the generator. But Rex heard Mimi and Bonnie become hysterical as they saw the Killer come at them from amidst the trees, wielding the knife.
